Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Poppy's Paparazzi and Doreen the Biscotti Queen


Hello, my friends!
The holidays are here!
 Warm greetings on cards and
sweet gifts wrapped in tins
travel across the globe
  to bring us good cheer!


After seeing this cozy (but blurry) window display of Santa being pampered by his adoring Mrs., his festive table (from what I gather), topped with richly iced cakes and other delectable treats, can you blame me for craving such seasonal sweets, especially when, 
this year, I don't have time to bake them myself?


Fortunately, an early delivery by St. Nick did the trick!
My sassy gal pal, Doreen, who blogs over at House Honeys,
 sent me a batch of her famous chocolate walnut biscotti
and a few other varieties. My pic does not do them
 justice - they are a sight for hungry eyes and the perfect
  sugar fix for one's taste buds, anytime of the day. 
Thank you my multi talented mon ami!


Now, because Santa's such a sweetheart to have thought of  me, crazy busy as he is, in the midst of his millionth delivery, I wanted to show my appreciation with a Christmas creation, a memento of that potentially pretty store window, he just might enjoy. So, thanks to some photo shop flair, gone was the glare and the intrusive sheen of those two paparazzi, (a certain mother and daughter team!;)). And lastly, by simply pressing a key, the setting was also free of that not so attractive bumper to bumper traffic, amid the cold and congested concrete jungle that so spoiled the scene...whew! 
Know what I mean?


Thanks for visiting!
Wishing you all 
Happy Holidays,
xxx
Poppy

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Charmed


As a little girl growing up in midtown Toronto,
autumn, dressed in all its spectacular, seasonal
splendour, was always my favourite time of year.



I'm sure my passion for colour comes from those
 flaming fireballs that pierce cool, azure blue skies.


What fun we used to have, diving into brittle heaps
 of dry, crispy, crumbly leaves, swimming in hues of
 burnt sienna, hot crimson, and muddy merlots.

 And so, as you all know, this Toronto autumn has
been my first in 16 years, and I have been busy

 

reacquainting myself with its many myriad of moods -


from the bright and bubbly,


to the dark and melancholy.


And guess what?

  

I found them all to be enchantingly intriguing.


Thanks for visiting and
 Happy Thanksgiving to
all my American friends.
xo
Poppy

Sharing at:
Tweak It Tuesday

Friday, October 23, 2015

Floral Flashbacks

High Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Autumn 2015

In Toronto's High Park, autumn flowers and fall foliage
still exist in happy harmony, but very soon, most
leaves and all petals will take their final bow, and the
landscape that is their stage, will have its final curtain call.

Special Delivery

And so, I took a trip down memory lane, and along the
way, gathered a bunch of bouquets to remind me of all
 those times when these dainty, floral darlings delighted
 me with their vast and various cast of characters!

A Mother's Day Bouquet

This bright Mother's Day bouquet I chose for
my mom last year beautifully complements the
crockery behind it, don't you think?

Forever Fall

A close up of one of my favourite decorative
 plates, which has repeatedly presented me with
delicious servings of whimsy when I crave it,
which in my case, as you know, is constant!
 

Pretty petals in paintings are precious, and even
though I cannot breathe in their fragrance, they
 are always a breath of fresh air for the soul.

A Rooftop Refreshment

Fresh fruit and flowers from my  summer garden
on the island whet my appetite for al fresco fun.
 
Scents for the Senses

The sweet scent of narcissus in this early spring
posy
also transports me to the hilly meadows of Crete,
where these wild flowers cheerfully dot the
 countryside for weeks with their happy faces.


A bunch of silk blooms warms up stone and stucco
walls, as its reflection softly glows in the mirror.


Open shelving in the breakfast room back home
makes space for seasonal, fresh flowers, in
  addition to the permanent pretties on plates.
 
A Mother's Day Bouquet
 
Ultimately, having access to flowers, whatever the season, calms me, so, when I came across this flower delivery website, I was pleased
 to discover that local florists can provide stunning bouquets,
 (and bundles of inspiration), to you and yours, all year round.

Thanks for accompanying me on my
floral flashback, in the middle of fall!

xo
Poppy

 
P.S. Clicking on the title of each pic
will take you to its original post.
 
No compensation was received for this post.
 

Monday, October 12, 2015

A Thanksgiving Thought


Technically,
the Canadian calendar
shows that today,
Monday, October 12th,
is Thanksgiving Day.


But many Canadians,
myself, included,
celebrated with family
and friends yesterday.


Ultimately,
giving thanks and being grateful
for all the goodness in our lives,
is an everyday occurrence, isn't it?

 
Still,
 getting together with loved ones,  
and sharing in God's abundance of
bountiful blessings, makes for a special
occasion, indeed, whatever the day.
 
 
For me, I'm especially thankful to be
 spending my first Thanksgiving in over
16 years, in my hometown of Toronto.
To you, thanks for visiting, and
Happy Thanksgiving to all
 my Canadian friends!
 
xo
Poppy
 
P.S.
The pics are all of Liberty's neighbourhood,
and my walking wonderland.

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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

In Fall's Midmorning Light

 
The older I get, the more the four seasons fly by in a flash
to such an extent that, during a recent, short trip on a
 swing, summer's silky, green leaves morphed into 
burning corals of  bling!
 
 
But the skies are still blue,
and the sun is still bright,
and the pretties still bloom
in fall's midmorning light.
 
 
I trust, soon enough, cool gusts will whisper
  to me autumn's secret recipe, particularly, how
it stirs that crisp, morning air with such flair
to create a mood that doesn't compare with
any other season - not even spring's.
 
 
Until then,
the skies are still blue,
and the sun is still bright,
and the pretties still bloom
in fall's midmorning light.

 
Wishing you all a very
Happy Wednesday,
and a wonderful week!
 
 
 
Sharing at:
 


Monday, September 14, 2015

In Season

 

A woman of autumn, I am, 
in this third stage of my being,
lightly seasoned with sage,
 clearly no longer green.

'Mountains in November', Julia Lesnichy. A landscape
 of  Dewena's beloved and beautiful, Blue Ridge Mountains.

But I know a wise, wintry soul
 from the south, who gently calms
stormy hearts from afar, in a manner
sweetly reminiscent of spring, 
for the blooming smiles and
  warmth that she brings.

'Carolina Wren in Autumn', Janet Zeh

Our minimalist, mutual friend, 
whose yearning and yen for 
wabi sabi and zen, fittingly 
nests in the home of a wren, 
and whatever the season,
meets and greets the world 
 from her window.



This post is dedicated to two sweet hearts,
my friends, Dewena and Tammy
Wishing them both a speedy recovery!

Thanks for visiting 
and have a lovely week!

xo
Poppy 

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Wednesday, September 9, 2015

If I Were a Storybook Character

 
Hurst Bakery, Aurora, Ontario
 
 When I walk into a shop that makes me feel
as if I'm stepping straight into a storybook, well,
 let's just say I become somewhat animated, myself!
 
A beautiful neighbourhood in Aurora, Ontario
 
In storybook land, all the roads are paved with
 pastel pretties, to detain us from our intended 
destination, thus creating some scented suspense!
 

When we finally do get there, we don't want 
to leave, for the messy array of trinkets on 
the vintage stove stops us in your tracks!



Not to mention the irresistible display of decadence
 that suddenly has me walking on air - a sweet love affair
 that started with a luscious lemon square and presently 
knows no end to all things coconut and creamy!



And so, I turn the pages fast, quickly flipping to
the last, as I leave behind the land of sweet treats
and nostalgic eye candy.  Yet, something tells me
that the chapter on this most charming town will
continue in this storybook that I cannot put down,
until I've wandered through its entirety completely.